Bittersweet
by KatCrawfield
Summary: Damon was happily married in 1861. Elizabeth was killed by Katherine in 1861 and Emily cast a spell on the town to make everyone forget Elizabeth. When Katherine returns in Season 2, she makes Damon remember. Unknown to anyone, Beth is undead and kicking.
1. Flashback: 1861

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Summary: In 1861, Damon was happily married. Katherine and Emily had been looking for a new suitable town to live in and came across Mystic Falls. Katherine kills Damon's new bride, Beth and her body is left for Damon to find. Emily, not wanting to see anyone hurt, had given Beth Katherine's blood when she found out that Katherine had taken a liking to the Salvatore brothers. Beth leaves Mystic Falls, when she learns what she had become. After watching the town's reactions, Katherine has Emily cast a spell on everyone in the town to make them forget Beth and the attack. Katherine can't stay away from the Salvatore brothers, so that is why she returns in 1864. When Damon encounters Katherine (Season 2 Episode 1) in the Salvatore Boarding House, she makes him remember his wife and what really happened in 1861. Little does anyone know, Beth is undead and kicking in Mystic Falls.**

**1861**

The loud 'bang' of a gun being fired awoke me from a dreamless sleep.

I gasped, sitting up immediately. "Damon?" My husband wasn't anywhere to be seen. My heart dropped. Suddenly, the door was thrown open. My friend, Clara, Giuseppe called her 'our maid' although I preferred to think of her as a friend, rushed to my side.

"Everything is alright, ma'am. Your husband requests you remain here." She smiled in a strained way. Her voice said one thing, her expression another.

"Clara, what is happening? Why was there a gunshot?" I started for the window, wanting to see.

Clara blocked my way, "Please, ma'am."

"Clara, please. What is happening?" My hands were shaking. My mind was reeling; what if something had happened to Damon? Or his brother or father?

"There was a man. He had been drinking and he came here, yelling at Mister Giuseppe about money. The man had a gun." Clara held my shaking hands, trying to calm me, "Mister Damon is alright. He shot the man when he tried to shoot Mister Giuseppe."

I was so relieved that all of the breath went out of me at once. It took me a moment to speak again, "Is he dead?"

"I don't believe it true, ma'am. Mister Damon shot him in the leg." Clara sat down beside me, patting me on the hand.

I shut my eyes, taking deep breaths, trying to calm myself down. After a moment, I said to Clara, "I should probably dress."

"Right away." She dipped her head just a bit before going to my trunk and retrieving my deep green silk dress and cream colored corset.

I braced myself up against one of the bedposts while Clara laced up my corset and dress. Just as she finished, there was a knock on the door. Clara went to open it.

Damon entered. For a moment, I only wanted to look at him. I walked right up to him and ordered, "Tell me what is going on."

"It's taken care of. There's nothing to worry about." He reached out to touch my face softly but I took a step back.

"What is going on? I have heard it from Clara and now I would like to hear it from you."

"Woman, you are insufferable…" Damon said, less tense as he chuckled. He sat down on one of the soft armchairs next to the window while I stood, defiant until he told me the truth. Damon sighed, "Elias Berch –"

"The one who spends his nights at the saloon?" I couldn't resist interrupting him.

Damon wore a slight smile on his face, "May I continue?" I nodded. "Father was attending a card game last night with Mr. Lockwood and Mr. Fell. They were kind enough to let Mr. Berch join them. Mr. Berch lost thirty dollars."

"Thirty dollars? Who in their right mind would –" I saw that Damon was smiling again. I sat down across from him and mimed putting my hand over my mouth.

"Father and the other men offered to give Mr. Berch back his money but he wouldn't take it. Then, of course, he headed to the saloon. And that's where he was until near ten minutes ago. Mr. Berch knocked on the door and father opened it to find Mr. Berch had a pistol aimed at his forehead. Mr. Berch said that he didn't want his money back, but his pride. Stefan and I had been in the library and we heard them yelling…"

There was another knock on the door. "Come in." Damon called.

Stefan opened the door wide enough so that we could see him. He looked to me first, "Good morning, Beth."

"Good morning, Stefan." I replied out of politeness.

Stefan looked to Damon and said, "The sheriff would like to speak with you, brother."

"Of course. Tell him I'll be down in a moment." Stefan nodded and shut the door.

Damon kissed my hand, "And what will you be doing today?"

"I need to visit Melinda Gilbert. She's wanted me to meet her niece, Rebecca for a while now." I started to ask Damon what was really on my mind, but I stopped myself.

"What is it?" Nothing got past him.

"Our house. Any word on when it will be finished?" I couldn't take living under the same roof with Giuseppe Salvatore much longer.

Damon smiled a bit, "Jacob says a month at the most." Damon kissed my forehead and went downstairs to talk with the sheriff.

That afternoon, Damon accompanied me to visit Melinda and her niece. "Elizabeth!" Melinda was delighted when she found Damon and me on her porch. "Rebecca, come downstairs!" She called into the house. "Please, come in." Melinda said as she stood aside.

A young girl with strawberry blonde hair, maybe thirteen at the most came rushing down the stairs at the sound of her aunt's beckoning. "Yes, Aunt?"

"This is Elizabeth Salvatore and her husband, Damon. Say hello." Melinda pushed her niece forward.

"Hello." Rebecca said shyly, curtsying.

I smiled, "Hello."

Just then, Melinda's husband, Jesse, came around the corner of the parlor. "Damon." Jesse said, "Come. Let me pry you away from your bride for a moment; I have something you're going to want to see." Damon nodded, smiling at me before he followed Jesse out of the room.

"May I offer you some tea?" Melinda asked, taking me into the dining room.

"Yes, please." I took the cup after she poured some of the freshly brewed tea into the china. I took a sip; something was a bit off. It was almost salty and metallic tasting…

"Aunt, may I go outside?" Rebecca asked with longing.

"We will all go." Melinda smiled at me. I made sure to leave the tea in the dining room.

Melinda led Rebecca and me out to the garden. Rebecca eventually ran off to play with one of Jesse's hounds, bored with our conversation. "Are you enjoying being married?"

"Yes." I chuckled as we strolled the edge of the garden that lined the forest.

She watched Rebecca giggle as she ran around the garden, delighted with the world. "I think it is good for her to be away from Atlanta for a while. The city was suffocating her."

"She seems happy here." I responded, suddenly distracted by a rustling in the trees to our right. "Did you hear that?"

"No." Melinda said, trying to listen. I walked a few feet into the woods, looking around for the source of the noise. There was another rustling, this time further in. "I heard it this time. What could it be?" She asked as we walked further into the woods and closer to the noise.

Suddenly a woman came from the trees. Melinda and I both gasped. She was beautifully dressed. Long, curly brown hair fell loosely from her hat. "Hello." She said in a pretty voice.

"Hello. Are you lost?" Melinda asked, stepping forward a bit to get a better view of the woman.

"I believe so. I'm looking for the town of Mystic Falls." The woman stepped toward us as well. She turned to me, focusing on my bracelet. "Your bracelet is beautiful. May I?" She held out her hand for mine.

I hesitated, cautious; I'd heard of the women who were drifters… "Briefly." I responded, offering her my wrist.

The woman reached out with a blinding speed, gripping my wrist and turning me so that I was locked in her arms. She grabbed a handful of my hair before I could scream and sank her teeth into my neck. Melinda screamed and started to run, but the woman released me and grasped Melinda by the chin and snapped her neck. I screamed when my friend fell to the ground and I saw the strange woman for what she really was. Her face was contorted, veins bulging from her blood red eyes, fangs instead of teeth. Her teeth were back in my neck before I could move.

I could feel the life draining out of me. "Elizabeth!" Damon yelled from the garden. He wouldn't find me. I was going to die.

**R&R Please. Chapter 2 will begin the actual story in present day Mystic Falls.**


	2. Return to Mystic Falls

**Chapter 2 begins the story in 2010-2011. Damon has just found out the truth about 1861 and Beth returns to Mystic Falls. As you will soon see, Beth has changed a lot.**

**Disclaimer: Once again, I own nothing.**

"Silas!" I yelled as I threw the door of the foreclosed house open. "You slimy son of a –"

Edith the ghost drifted from the shadows, "Silas isn't here." She wore her usual creepy attire; a white nightgown that dusted the floor. Her skin was blue and grey with a dark red, bloody ring around her neck where she'd been strangled almost thirty years ago.

"Ha! I'm sorry, what?" I asked, not liking that my rant had been interrupted. There were all sorts of nasty names that I was going to call Silas. The asshole deserved it; he'd gotten drunk when he was supposed to be helping me and then he'd nearly got the both of us killed. That was before he stole my car.

"He never came back; I would know. I never leave." Creepy, much?

"Could you moan, or something? Maybe rattle some chains?" I said sarcastically. Edith just glared; the windows started to shake with her building anger. "Okay, never mind. I'm gonna go now." I said quickly and practically ran out of the house.

I walked until I reached the nearest car dealership. I compelled the manager named Steve to give me the keys and forget all about the paperwork for a black 1967 Chevy Impala. I called the only witch that I was acquainted with; Teagan Harris. "Hey, it's Beth."

"Yes, I know. What do you need?" Teagan sounded frustrated.

"Can't I call just to –" I was trying to be nice, but the witch cut me off.

"No. You only ever call when you need something. What is it?"

I sighed, "Have you heard anything recent about Katherine Pierce?"

"Actually, yeah." That just made my day a whole lot better. Maybe I could finally find the bitch that killed me and return the favor, only hers would be permanent… "I talked to Lucy; she's worked with Katherine a few times. Lucy said Katherine was headed out to Mystic Falls. You know where that vamp massacre went down like a hundred and fifty years ago?"

"Yes. I know of it." How could I not? "Thank you, Teagan. I won't bother you again."

"That's funny!" She said sarcastically, "That's real funny –" I hung up on her. I slammed on my brakes, my tires making an awful screeching sound on the asphalt while I made a spectacular U-turn and headed for Mystic Falls.

It was so different from how I remembered it… Maybe that was because the majority of what was now Mystic Falls had been a forest when I was alive. It was a small town, much like it had been in 1861. As I drove by the building that had once been an apothecary, I saw that now it was a private medical practitioner's office. How fitting. I wandered around town until I found a boarding house. The vampiric rules are kind of open ended when it comes to hotels and boarding houses. It all depends on whether it was privately owned; which the Mystic B&B was, thankfully. I didn't want any unwelcome visitors.

"Hello! Welcome to Mystic Falls. Come in, come in." A cheerful looking woman in her sixties said from behind horn-rimmed glasses. I stepped over the threshold and approached the front desk. "Do you have a reservation?"

"No." I responded, raising my sunglasses to perch on top of my head.

"That's fine, dear. Is the second floor alright?" She asked, typing on her computer briefly before looking back up at me.

"Yes." I said, handing her my driver's license and Visa card. "My stay is a bit indefinite, so you can hold onto the Visa." I smiled, trying not to scare her.

"That's fine. I'm Helen Davies." She held out her hand for me to shake.

I smiled and reached across the counter to grasp her hand, "I'm Beth. Beth Gregory."

"Would you like some help with your bags, Ms. Gregory?"

"No. I can manage."

"Well, at least let me get the door for you." With another huge motherly smile, she bustled around the counter with a tasseled key and led the way.

After I'd carted all of my bags up the stairs, I turned to Mrs. Davies and said, "Can I ask you a favor?"

"Of course, dear." She responded, smiling again.

I looked deep into her eyes, letting a tiny bit of my true aspect appear, just enough so that I could compel her, "If anyone asks for me, or anyone like me, please let me know."

"Yes." She said monotonously before heading down the stairs.

I went to the mirror, tweaking my hair and adjusting my lapis lazuli necklace just a bit before grabbing my purse and heading out again. I drove directly to the place I knew best; the former Salvatore residence.

I was a bit disappointed that it was no longer on the grounds. A few of the gargoyles had survived the century… "Hmm…" I sighed, remembering… There was a rustle of twigs behind me and I spun around, ready to confront my potential attacker. It was someone I'd never expected to see again. Someone I'd thought was long dead. Someone I'd loved… Damon.

**R&R Please.**


	3. Overwhelmed

**A/N: Sorry the wait has been so long. Between building/moving into a new house and college applications, Fanfiction has taken a bit of a backseat. Most of the excitement has died down for now, so postings should be "regular" (whatever that means).**

**Disclaimer: Me: "Hey, Kevin…" Kevin Williamson: "What's up?" Me: "Will you sell me the rights to The Vampire Diaries?" Kevin: "Ha ha. No." Sadly, I still own nothing…**

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><p>"Wow. I missed a lot after I left, huh?" I said, eyebrows raised, arms crossed defensively. If there's one thing I hate, its surprises. I still wasn't sure whether this one was bad or good.<p>

Damon didn't respond for a moment, instead just staring at me in disbelief. When my former husband finally picked his jaw up off of the floor, he said softly, "You're alive."

I smirked, "Not quite." I looked him up and down. The last century had been good to him. He was still just as handsome, maybe even more so, as the last time I'd seen him. His formerly curly hair was now straight, complimenting him perfectly. He wore a simple black shirt under a leather jacket with jeans. His eyes… God, his eyes… I tore my gaze away from him, focusing on the tree just behind him instead. "Well, this is refreshingly awkward, but I have better things to do than stand around in the forest all afternoon." Translation: Seeing you like this hurts, and I can't stand it much longer.

I turned to leave, but Damon blurred in front of me, blocking my path. I clenched my jaw, trying to keep the tears from my eyes as Damon raised his shaking hand to softly stroke my face. His touch sent jolts like lightening through my body. I wanted so much to lean into him, to smile…but it was too much. I wouldn't survive it if I lost him again. "Elizabeth." He breathed, barely audible even to me.

I couldn't take it anymore. The millions of questions, most of them insignificant, bouncing around in my head were deafening. Who turned you? Why are you here? Is Stefan here too? What do you want? Did you miss me? Do you love me?

I snapped, grabbing him by the throat, baring my fangs as a warning, "Touch me again, and I'll rip you hand off." I threw him to the ground and without a second's delay, I blurred through the trees and out of the forest.

When I returned to my current residence, I ignored Mrs. Davies' cheerful greeting of "Hello, Dear," rushing straight up the stairs and into my room. Immediately, I dug through my suitcase for the bottle of whiskey that I'd chosen to bring along at the last moment and was ready to put the water glass on the desk to good use. It wasn't until I tried to unscrew the cap that I noticed how badly my hands were shaking. My vision blurred and tiny drops fell with soft 'plops' onto the desk; I was crying.

You would think that a century and a half would be more than long enough to get over someone… My tears and the pain in my chest said otherwise. I felt as if my heart literally ached. I went to bed that night, unfortunately sober, and for the first time since before I became a vampire, I cried myself to sleep.

I showered as soon as I woke, wanting to avoid looking at my tearstained face in the mirror. I downed two pints of blood and dressed in all black to match my mood, throwing on a pair of black Vera Wang wedges for good measure. I stood in front of the full length mirror, saying to my reflection, "If I see Damon today, I will ignore him." God, that sounded so lame. "I will." How pitiful; I couldn't even convince myself. I glared at my reflection, "Don't look at me like that." I laughed, rolling my eyes at my own ridiculousness and grabbed my purse before heading out to get a feel of "modern" Mystic Falls.

For most of the morning, I drove around Mystic Falls, not going anywhere in particular. I recognized one of the older buildings. It had been an apothecary's shop in 1864; now it was a former medical office. The high school was nice looking, but seemed a little too big compared to the number of residents in Mystic Falls. The first decent looking restaurant that I happened upon when 'lunch time' came around was the Mystic Grill.

At first when I went inside, I was confused; there were masses of teenagers inside. My eyes zeroed in on a calendar behind the bar twenty feet away from where I was standing behind the 'Please Wait to Be Seated' sign. Oh. So it was Saturday… I'd been a bit distracted, first by Silas, then by news of Katherine, and now by my 'dead' husband. A young man with blonde hair and kind eyes looked at me expectantly as he approached, "Do you need a table?"

I quickly read his name tag; Matt. Matt was built like a linebacker and a little bit intimidating, even to me, a 170 year old vampire. "Yes." I smiled, trying to seem genuine, which wasn't difficult when Matt returned the smile.

After I was seated at a small table for two next to the far wall, Matt asked tentatively, "Are you new here?"

I tilted my head, curious at his question, "How'd you know?" I asked.

"Small town. Everyone knows everyone." Matt smiled again and shrugged, turning to leave, he said, "A waitress will be by to take your order."

"Thank you, Matt." I called after him, which earned me another smile. It was good to see someone so young be so polite. That doesn't happen much nowadays. The only bad thing; Mystic Falls hadn't grown much in the century and a half since I'd lived there, which meant someone was bound to notice when people started disappearing… Cue dramatic sigh from every vampire in town. I'd have to keep to the blood banks. Lovely. I needed to focus; thinking about blood had made me thirsty. I needed to do what I came to Mystic Falls to do. I needed to kill Katherine. Then I could leave and forget that I'd ever seen Damon. I groaned. Ugh, who was I kidding? I could never forget him. Thank God the waitress chose that moment to make her grand entrance; I was going to drive myself mad.

Halfway through my order of French fries that I'd drenched in ketchup, I froze. I heard a young woman's laugh clear as day from a shop across the street. Her voice chilled me down to my bones. It was Katherine, but it wasn't. Something was different… Through the front window, I could see her; a young woman with straight dark hair coming out of the ice cream shop, arms linked with none other than Stefan Salvatore.

I focused intently on the young woman, tuning out her voice and listening to her body. Tha-thump. Tha-thump. Tha-thump. Tha-thump. Tha-thump. Tha-thump. Now it was my turn to pick my jaw up off of the floor.

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><p><strong>Once again, sorry for the wait. R&amp;R please.<strong>


	4. Deal Or No Deal

**Disclaimer: The people at CW have stopped answering my calls… Maybe they blocked my number because they're tired of me asking for the rights for The Vampire Diaries… I don't own TVD.**

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><p><em>Previously on The Vampire Diaries…<em>

It was Katherine, but it wasn't. Something was different… Through the front window, I could see her; a young woman with straight dark hair coming out of the ice cream shop, arms linked with none other than Stefan Salvatore.

I focused intently on the young woman, tuning out her voice and listening to her body. Tha-thump. Tha-thump. Tha-thump. Tha-thump. Tha-thump. Tha-thump. Now it was my turn to pick my jaw up off of the floor.

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><p><em>Now…<em>

I ignored my half-finished fries and practically yanked my waitress's arm off when she walked by. I shoved a fifty at her, "Keep the change." I went as quickly out of the door as I could without drawing attention. I had to know.

"…up with Damon?" Katherine—no, I didn't know if she was Katherine—the young woman had a more serious tone to her words as she spoke. I darted across the street, keeping about twenty feet behind the couple as they walked. "He was actually quiet this morning…"

"Last night, we found out that back in 1861, Damon was married." I stopped; momentarily stunned that Damon had told his brother everything. "Somehow, Katherine and Emily tested the town; it was to see if vampires could go about unexposed. It failed when Katherine became obsessed with us and killed Elizabeth, Damon's wife. Emily had never wanted anyone to get hurt, so she cast a spell on the town, to make us forget Elizabeth…" They turned the corner to go down a side street. I waited, to any passerby, it would seem that I was casually leaning on the wall of the office building, but I was really listening, "…gave Elizabeth Katherine's blood and she turned when Katherine killed her."

Elena stopped, stepping back from Stefan for a moment to look at him, "If Emily cast a spell to make you forget, how can you know all of this?"

I pushed myself off of the wall, taking measured strides down the alley, keeping to the slight shadows that the neighboring building provided. The only other person that knew about the spell that was still living was Katherine. I needed to know everything. "Yes, Stefan, pray tell." I smirked at him as they both turned to face me and Stefan stepped slightly in front of Elena to shield her from me, "How can you know all of this?"

Stefan's lips parted slightly in surprise when he recognized me, "Elizabeth."

"You're Elizabeth?" The young woman asked in awe.

"Beth." I corrected instantly. "Now, Stefan, I would appreciate it very much if you would tell me exactly how you can know about Emily's spell, because unless you've miraculously brought her back from the dead, only Katherine and I knew about the spell."

Stefan was silent for a moment, before saying sadly, "I'm sorry for what happened to you."

"Saying you're sorry isn't going to help me kill Katherine, now is it?" I sighed, "I'm going to ask you one more time, Stefan. How can you know?" Each of the last four words was punctuated by the click of my heels as I stepped closer.

Stefan pressed the girl back a few steps, "What happened to you, Beth?"

"I died, you idiot. Now answer my question before I stick a hypothetical bendy straw into you girlfriend's pretty, pretty neck." Would I actually hurt the girl? No. Okay, well probably not. I hoped Stefan didn't know that.

"Katherine." I mentally rolled my eyes; of course it was Katherine. "She told Damon last night and Damon told me this morning."

I love(d?) Damon, but Katherine had to die. The urge to kill Katherine was stronger than my need to see Damon at the moment, and so my more primal feelings took control of my mouth for the moment. "Being 'buddy-buddy' with Katherine never goes well for anyone." I ground my teeth together to keep from hissing at Stefan's revelation. I turned to the girl, "Doppelganger—"

"Her name is Elena." Stefan interrupted me, more than a little irritated.

I continued, ignoring the younger Salvatore brother, "Stay out of my way and you won't get dead. Same goes for you, Salvatore." Besides the fact that 'Salvatore' just sounded awesome, it distanced me from Stefan. Back in 1861, Stefan was like a brother to me, and Giuseppe was like a father; I couldn't let those feelings couldn't get in my way now that I was so close to my goal.

"Out of your way?" Elena asked, confused.

There was 'Off-Switch Beth' and there was 'Normal Beth.' At the moment, 'Normal Beth' was stuck in the hypothetical dungeon while 'Off-Switch Beth' had a bit of fun. "I'm going to kill Katherine and won't hesitate to kill anyone who tries to prevent me from driving a stake through her non-existent heart." I turned to take my leave when I felt a strong, vice-like grip on my arm. I looked over to see that the hand belonged to Stefan. "Don't touch me." I warned, yanking myself away.

"Beth, wait." Stefan hadn't changed much; he still wanted to help people that were beyond saving. "Please."

Aw, he was going to be nice… I turned back to glare at him, waiting.

"Can we at least talk?"

I really considered talking. Just talking. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea… Maybe he could help me find Katherine. If all else fails, I could always use him as bait… "Alright Stefan. I'll bite." I waited, arms crossed.

"Tonight, eight thirty, at the boarding house."

"You have a boarding house? No, wait, don't answer that." I turned to leave again, "See you at eight thirty." Inside I was fuming. I couldn't decide which emotion was stronger; anger or fear. I was angry because Stefan was controlling the situation. I was angry because the girl, Elena, looked like Katherine. I was angry that she wasn't Katherine. I was angry because Katherine was still breathing. I was afraid of Katherine. I was afraid of what I didn't know. I was afraid of how Damon would react when I saw them tonight. I was afraid of myself, of what I was becoming…

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><p><strong>R&amp;R please.<strong>


	5. Choices

**Disclaimer: Come on, people, we've been over this already… I own nothing. *Le sigh***

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><p><em>Previously on The Vampire Diaries…<em>

"Alright Stefan. I'll bite." I waited, arms crossed.

"Tonight, eight thirty, at the boarding house."

"You have a boarding house? No, wait, don't answer that." I turned to leave again, "See you at eight thirty." Inside I was fuming. I couldn't decide which emotion was stronger; anger or fear. I was angry because Stefan was controlling the situation. I was angry because the girl, Elena, looked like Katherine. I was angry that she wasn't Katherine. I was angry because Katherine was still breathing. I was afraid of Katherine. I was afraid of what I didn't know. I was afraid of how Damon would react when I saw them tonight. I was afraid of myself, of what I was becoming…

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><p><em>Now…<em>

I sat in my horrible black rental car, going over the ways that I would kill Silas when I tracked him down. Silas stole my car; he had to die… In an instant, my momentary distraction was gone and I was silently wishing that I could melt into the leather seats and disappear forever. I wanted to make this quick, but I knew that neither Salvatore brother would let me escape this 'conversation' unscathed. I took a deep breath, hitting the steering wheel once in frustration before giving in and finally getting out of the car.

I'd been parked in the driveway for the last two minutes and thirty-six seconds, putting off going inside. I knew that they knew that I was outside, but neither Damon nor Stefan exited the house. I slammed the door shut and the car rocked unsteadily with the aftermath of my unintended strength. This situation so much mirrored what had happened after I'd died, it was eerie.

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><p><em>Then...<em>

_Cold. I was so cold. I couldn't see anything. My whole body ached. I reached out in the darkness, desperate to feel anything. What I felt was more unnerving than not knowing where I was. Wooden walls framed me and left no more than a foot of room on each side and above me. I gasped for air that wasn't there. Then, the scraping of metal against dirt shocked me out of my panic. The sound was muffled and coming from above me. "Help!" I screamed, "Please help me!" The noise continued for at least an hour before there was a solid 'thump' on the wooden roof above me. "Help me, please!" I hit my wooden prison for all I was worth._

_Metal nails screamed as the top of the box was lifted to reveal a young woman with dark skin standing above me. She had a kind face and was holding a shovel. "Hello," She helped me out of the box, which left me standing in a six feet deep hole, "My name is Emily. I'm here to help you, but I cannot explain now. Take this," She shoved a note at me, "meet me there when the moon crests tonight. Speak to no one." With that, Emily disappeared; literally disappeared, leaving me completely alone with the night._

_Later that night, I met Emily at what I later learned was her brother's home along the lake and she explained what had happened to me. "You are in transition." She said, as if that explained everything. "I saw Katherine's obsession with the Salvatore brothers and knew that she would stop at nothing to get you out of the way. I gave you her blood in the tea that Mrs. Gilbert gave you yesterday afternoon. Now you have a choice." Emily took a blade and made a shallow cut on her wrist, "If you drink, you will become a vampire; if you choose not to drink, you will die."_

_It was so much to take in… "I don't want to die."_

_She smiled in a strange, unemotional way, "You're already dead."_

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><p><em>Now…<em>

I waited impatiently for someone to answer the door for the few moments after I knocked. Footsteps were followed by the quiet click of the deadbolt before the door opened to slowly reveal my former husband. "Come in, Beth." If it were even possible, I would say that his voice was more monotonous than mine. Keeping my eyes averted from Damon's face, I stepped over the threshold. The gargantuan boarding house was as beautiful inside as it was out. I admit, I was surprised, but then again, the Salvatore family had never been a stranger to money.

"Hello, Beth." Stefan said, leaning on the wall beside the doorway into another room. "Are you ready to talk?"

"I wasn't aware that I had much of a choice, Stefan." I smiled politely, but it was more of a bearing of teeth. "Where's the doppelganger?" I asked curiously, peering around the rooms as I followed Damon.

"At home; Katherine attacked her uncle and Elena is getting his things together." Stefan answered.

"Katherine was at Elena's house?" I was barely able to keep the glee from my voice; if Katherine had been at Elena's, I would be able to use something she'd touched to get a read off of her. You don't have to be a witch to do magic; you just have to have the will to stop yourself. I looked around the parlor as we passed by. There were a few broken objects littering the floor… "Katherine was here too." I said, turning away from the parlor and into the library. I flopped down ungracefully on the couch furthest from the fire, "Let's make this quick, boys."

Stefan sat down across from me while Damon lounged on the arm of the sofa. The younger Salvatore spoke first. "I'm sorry."

"I know." I grew serious, "I really don't blame either one of you; my mouth seems to operate without permission of my brain most of the time." I chuckled humorlessly, "Emily did the spell almost immediately after I turned. She explained to me what would happen afterwards and gave me the choice to either stay and start over, or leave. I chose to leave." I glanced over at Damon, "I may not have been thinking clearly, but I saw what this town did when vampires revealed themselves, so I ran."

"Beth—" Damon began.

"Let me finish, Damon. I know it's a bit, erm, fuzzy for the both of you right now, but I can remember everything clear as day. I made my choice and paid for it; still am, actually. For the last century and a half I've had one goal: to kill Katherine. Honestly, until I saw you in the forest, I had no idea you were alive." I paused to think, "And no, I don't know if I would've come back here if I'd known before."

There was a pregnant silence before Damon spoke softly, "For me it's as if that afternoon at Melinda and Jesse's happened yesterday…very _Back to the Future Part III_." Damon made a very strange expression with his eyebrows that made me raise my own. Maybe this wouldn't be as difficult as I'd thought… Both brothers seemed relatively agreeable, but it was me I was worried about. The sudden proximity with my former husband had me reeling. I covered it with sarcasm.

I smirked, "Finally; someone that can compete with me in the 'Enigmatic One-Liners' category." There was another awkward moment of silence before I said, "So, good talk boys." I winked at Damon and Stefan as I rose to leave, anxious to get out of the boarding house, "I've got some work to do…" I exited the room, calling out as I left, "Curiosity killed the Kat and all…"

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><p><strong>R&amp;R please. Reviews are like Jalapeño Cheetos. They're highly addictive and they make me happy.<strong>


	6. Know Your Enemy

**Disclaimer: …Only six chapters in and I'm already sick of writing disclaimers. I own nothing. Well, except for Beth. Kind of.**

**A/N: You know that weird feeling you get when you look at a simple word, like 'road' for an hour, thinking that you spelled it wrong? I got that feeling a lot during this chapter. I had to have my ten year old sister spell check it because I was convinced that the computer was wrong…**

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><p>Previously on <em>The Vampire Diaries<em>:

_I smirked, "Finally; someone that can compete with me in the 'Enigmatic One-Liners' category." There was another awkward moment of silence before I said, "So, good talk boys." I winked at Damon and Stefan as I rose to leave, anxious to get out of the boarding house, "I've got some work to do…" I exited the room, calling out as I left, "Curiosity killed the Kat and all…"_

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><p>Two minutes. That was as long as I lasted before I fell apart. I barely managed to pull off to the shoulder of the road before the unshed tears blurred my vision so badly that I couldn't see. The pain in my chest was real. I screamed, not from the pain, but from anger. I was furious with myself. I was so cold to them. It made me sick to remember how just moments ago, I treated Damon and Stefan, <em>my family,<em> like they were nothing.

My 'explanation' made me feel even worse. Lies. I knew that somewhere deep down, I really did blame Damon and Stefan for my death. It wasn't their fault that they were chosen, but because they were chosen, I died. I spent 150 years harboring my hatred, not of the brothers, but of Katherine, letting it simmer, biding my time until I tracked her down. The only truth that I told Damon and Stefan was that I did not know that they were alive. Technically, I did have a choice about whether or not to leave, but it didn't feel like a choice. It was pretty much 'stay and die' or 'leave and live.'

As much as I love using sarcasm, I know that it's just a mask. A mask to keep me from feeling anything; or rather to keep anyone from knowing that I feel anything. I've known for a long time that there isn't a magical off switch that I can just flip when I want to feel numb… Maybe when I was first turned, but even then, I could still feel. I've been lying to myself for the last century and a half to keep myself from getting hurt. I always told myself that it was better this way; getting close to people gets them killed.

After I calmed myself down, I continued on to where I'd originally been headed; the hospital. I needed to have a chat with John Gilbert about a certain doppelganger…

In the parking lot of the hospital, I wiped the stray bits of mascara that were left over from my earlier breakdown off of my cheeks and made myself as presentable as possible. I took a deep breath, replaced my 'mask,' and walked through the automatic doors.

"May I help you?" A cheerful looking nurse in blue scrubs asked almost as soon as I crossed the inner-threshold. She scribbled one last thing on her clip board before giving me her complete attention.

"Oh," I smiled sweetly, "I'm visiting someone— "

That was as far as the nurse allowed me to get before she held up her hand and said sternly, "Visiting hours are from nine a.m. to seven p.m. I'm sorry, but you're going to have to come back tomorrow." She flashed me a quick smile, glancing back down at her clipboard. "If you'll excuse me—"

The nurse tried to brush past me, but I caught her shoulder, and before she could protest, I looked deep into her eyes, summoning up my true aspect, "Are you sure you couldn't bend the rules for me, just this once?" I asked softly.

"Oh." The nurse smiled, "Yes, anything you like."

"What room is John Gilbert in?"

Her empty gaze flickered down to her clipboard before her eyes found mine again, "Room 106."

"Thank you," I glanced at her name tag, "Millie." I smiled again, "Now, remember, I was never here…"

"You were never here." She repeated.

"Very good." I patted her shoulder before blurring over to room 106.

The man that I assumed was John Gilbert was hooked up to a volley of machines. His right hand was heavily bandaged and some of his fingers seemed to be missing. Well, this was definitely Katherine's work, unless this man had gotten into a fight with a lawnmower. His eyes flickered open when I stepped into the room.

"Ouch." I continued forward, "Looks like Katherine had some fun with you…" I smiled wickedly.

"Who're you?" He asked, completely unafraid.

"My name is Beth." I stepped closer; John's heart rate rose significantly. I snorted, "I'm not here to kill you, John. I'm looking for Katherine Pierce."

John's eyes widened, "What do you want with Katherine?"

"Same thing as you, I suspect, seeing as she carved you up like a Christmas turkey." I gestured to his wounds, "I want to know everything that you know about Katherine, and I want to know it now." I grabbed the only chair, an ugly green recliner that had seen better days, and dragged it over to John's bedside one-handed.

"You're a vampire." John frowned, "I'll call for help." He reached for the remote that was connected to his bed.

"Oh! Scary!" I plucked the remote from his hand, "The big bad doctor is going to come to your rescue and get his throat ripped out." I rolled my eyes, "I already told you that I'm not here to kill you. Though, if you don't start cooperating, I may start maiming." I smiled a bit, "Any objections?" No response. I rose to my feet, "Alrighty then…" I reached for his uninjured hand, taking one of his fingers firmly in my grip. I slowly bent it backward.

"Don't! I'll tell you anything you want to know!" Damn. A splash of violence would've made me feel better... So much for that.

"That wasn't so difficult, now was it?" I sat down again, lounging back in the chair, "Start at the beginning; tell me everything."

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><p><strong>If anyone is confused at why Beth is constantly contradicting herself, I've placed an explanation near the top of my profile page.<strong>

**R&R please.**


	7. Coincidence

**Disclaimer: I only own the Vampire Diaries in my dreams…**

**A/N: This is unbeta'd. Mistakes are all mine.**

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><p>Previously on <em>The Vampire Diaries<em>:

"_Don't! I'll tell you anything you want to know!" Damn. A splash of violence would've made me feel better... So much for that._

"_That wasn't so difficult, now was it?" I sat down again, lounging back in the chair, "Start at the beginning; tell me everything."_

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><p>After John Gilbert spun me a tale of witches and doppelgangers, I gently (in my opinion) cut off his air supply until he was unconscious. John had given me what I wanted, and there was not a reason for me to kill him…yet.<p>

I went over the tale in my head as I walked down the hall. Katherine Pierce, born Katerina Petrova in fifteenth century Bulgaria; hunted by Klaus, an Original vampire so that he could break some witchdoctor hoo-doo; came to Mystic Falls in 1861 with a witch and returned again in 1864…blah, blah, blah.

"…a message for me…" Purred a sweet, feminine voice from the room to my left.

"What?" A somewhat younger female asked.

I froze one foot from the entrance to the room that the two women were in. It couldn't be. This was just too easy… "Game on." It was her, no doubt. Katherine.

I blurred into the room at full speed only to come upon Katherine holding a pillow to a blond young woman's face. Suffocation? _Well, Katherine, you have changed…_

The girl was struggling, and Katherine was so wrapped up in her kill that she hadn't even noticed me enter. What had been my goal for the last century and a half was literally within arm's reach and I couldn't move. I was completely still, unable to force myself to close the distance between me and Katherine… What would happen when I killed her? Would I feel better? What if nothing changed? So many questions were bouncing around in my head, clamoring to get out. I took a breath.

Suddenly, Katherine's head whipped around just as the girl's arms fell limply off of the bed. Surprise marred her beautiful face for a moment before she released the pillow and smirked, "Hello, Elizabeth." She purred, swaggering over to close the gap between us.

I couldn't speak. I hadn't wanted to admit it until then, and even then, I still didn't, but I was _afraid._ I was terrified of Katherine, of what she could do to me. She was older, and therefore stronger. Katherine could throw me around like a ragdoll, rip my spine out, and get a mani-pedi at the same time. What the hell had I been thinking?

"I mean, seriously?" She asked as she circled me, "I'm a little flattered that you hate me this much, but honey," Katherine patted my shoulder, "you've got to get a life."

That was it. Her voice was annoying and nasal, her shoes screamed 'screw me!' and her curly perfect hair was making me want to rip it out. This woman—no, this thing— had killed me. I was the predator here, not Katherine. I wanted my revenge, and I was going to get it. "Get your hand off of me." I growled; I wasn't going to take this crap from anyone, especially not her. I knew that my inability to keep my mouth shut would probably be the death of me one day, but that day would not be today. Summoning up all of my courage and strength, I grabbed ahold of her hand that was now clawing into my shoulder, yanked it off of me, throwing Katherine to the floor in the process, and grabbed her by the throat.

Just as I was lowering my teeth to her neck, she yanked my head back with a handful of my hair. I yelled in rage, striking out with my elbow; there was a satisfying crunch of cartilage as it smashed into her nose. Katherine stumbled back a few steps before blurring back toward me at full speed. I barred my teeth, growling as she got a gripped my throat with a strength that could rival an iron vice. At first, I was confused, wondering why she wasn't stopping to attack me… But that was before Katherine barreled the both of us straight out of the hospital window.

I landed hard, the shards of broken glass and the occasional splinters of wood bit into my back and arms in places I hadn't even known existed. Somehow, I managed to get the upper hand, grabbing onto one of the few pieces of wooden framing that remained from the smashed window and aiming straight for her heart. Unfortunately, Katherine was able to divert the piece of wood to her neck, but I still drew blood. I wasn't able to hold her down for long; Katherine grabbed onto me the first chance that she got and threw me into the trunk of the nearest tree. Luckily, I wasn't speared with any of the stray branches, but my lungs were only semi-functional at that point.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk…" I managed, barely able to speak as I scrambled to my feet, "I expected more from you, Katerina."

A stunned expression passed her strikingly beautiful features before she smiled, "Have you seen your husband, lately?" Katherine smiled again, almost absently swiping at the blood on her neck and putting her bloody fingers to her mouth. "He's yummy."

"Really?" I smirked, using the talking time to make sure that my ribs had healed, "Damon hasn't said the same thing about you…"

"Did he tell you what we did before I told him about you?" Katherine was baiting me. She was baiting me and it was working. Damn, I needed to pull it together.

"Aw…I'm sure that Klaus won't like that very much…" Her expression was priceless, turning from arrogant woman to frightened little girl in less than a second, "But, I know that he'd love to see you again." I smiled, "What would you say to a visit from your old buddy Klaus? Hmm?" This, I hadn't expected. My bluff was working.

"You're bluffing." She stammered. I used her surprise against her, blurring over to ram her into the same tree that she'd thrown me into. I squeezed tighter and tighter on her throat, waiting for her head to pop off. Of course, that wouldn't happen, but a girl can dream… I grabbed her jaw, securing her by her collar bone and made ready to rip her head off.

A scream ripped me from my rage induced haze. The scream came from the room that we'd made a mess of; the room where the dead girl was… Katherine used my distraction the same way that I'd used her surprise against her. She threw me into the side of the hospital. Let me tell you, bricks are unforgiving. Before I could pick myself up off of the cement, Katherine was gone.

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><p><strong>R&amp;R please.<strong>


	8. Memories

**Disclaimer: I have a devil on my left shoulder telling me that I own The Vampire Diaries. I have an angel on my right shoulder telling me the same thing. Is it just me, or has someone gone to the dark side? Maybe it's because the dark side has cookies… I own nothing.**

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><p>Previously on <em>The Vampire Diaries:<em>

_A scream ripped me from my rage induced haze. The scream came from the room that we'd made a mess of; the room where the dead girl was… Katherine used my distraction the same way that I'd used her surprise against her. She threw me into the side of the hospital. Let me tell you, bricks are unforgiving. Before I could pick myself up off of the cement, Katherine was gone._

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><p>I was dead on my feet. My fight with Katherine had left me with a probable concussion and several now-healing broken ribs. I lifted my shirt gingerly and touched the black and blue bruises that were scattered across my sides and back. Vampires heal from the inside out, thank God, so everything looked much worse than it was. I ran myself a hot bath and let my body loosen up and relax while I healed; it made everything easier. The pain that was pulsating in my head was fading to a dull throb as I breathed in several lungfuls of steam and went through my fight with Katherine in my mind for the millionth time.<p>

Katherine had been much stronger than I was; faster, too. I got the upper hand when I surprised her twice. The first time had been when I struck out at her. Katherine had obviously been expecting sweet, innocent, naive Elizabeth from 1861; she got bitter, vicious, vengeful Beth. The second time I'd gotten the upper hand was when I'd mentioned Klaus. I made a mental note to try and contact the Original vampire the first chance that I got. From what I could tell based off of John's explanation and Katherine's reaction, this Klaus guy was a real piece of work. If Katherine was afraid of him, it would be better to be on his side when it came down to a face off.

Damon. Katherine had used him to bait me. I was ashamed that it had worked. It had been almost one hundred and fifty years; you'd think I'd be over the man by now. No matter how hard I tried to hate him, I couldn't. The simple fact that the mention of what Katherine might have done with Damon right before he found out the truth, that I had existed, made me realize that I still loved him. My heart was forever and completely his. Not that I would ever tell him that…

"Hmm…" I sighed, sinking lower into the water and dreamed of a time long past…

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><p><em>Mystic Falls, 1861<em>

"_Congratulations Brother!" Stefan clapped his brother on the shoulder proudly._

_Damon beamed, keeping his hand securely around my waist, he said, "I'm the happiest man alive." He took his free hand, grasping mine and raised it to his lips for a quick kiss._

"_And congratulations to you, Mrs. Salvatore." Stefan winked at me, giving me a quick hug. At any other wedding, it may not have been appropriate for me to be embracing my husband's brother, but Stefan was like the younger brother I'd always wanted. I had no brothers or sisters to share my childhood; Stefan Salvatore was as close as I was going to get._

"_Thank you, Stefan." I smiled, feeling as though my heart would burst from my happiness._

_Now that we had been received as husband and wife, we only waited to see Giuseppe before we were off to our room. _Our room_. I felt giddy just thinking about it._

_Giuseppe was escorting Elias Berch, a man known to like his drink, outside; Mr. Berch's home wasn't far off, and so he would be alright to walk home. As soon as the door shut, Giuseppe was on his way over, smiling the entire time. He was so ecstatic to see his son happy… Giuseppe Salvatore was usually quite a stern man, known to smile on occasion; this was one of those rarities. Damon had never exactly been his father's favorite child, although in my opinion, there was nothing for Giuseppe to be cross over. Then again, what did I know? I was a woman after all…_ _A small chuckle escaped me and Damon glanced down, a confused smile spreading over his face. "What is it?"_

_I shook my head, "Nothing." I couldn't not smile; both because of my previous thought and because I was completely and totally happy. I was married to the most perfect man in the world. A kind, caring, sweet man…_

"_I'm sure the two of you are anxious to get upstairs…" Giuseppe trailed off before he realized what he'd said. Stefan and Damon both let out a muffled chuckle while I turned pink from embarrassment. "Oh hush." He scolded half-heartedly, "I'm afraid, though, I must steal your bride for just a moment." Damon looked at his father curiously. I was completely confused. "Don't worry; you'll have the rest of your life with her. This will just take a moment." Giuseppe offered me his arm, which I took, and led me to the parlor._

"_Is something the matter?" I asked, still confused._

_Giuseppe smiled almost sadly, "No. Everything is right." His smile changed to become genuine, "I have a gift for you."_

"_Oh." But he'd already gifted us with a home that was to be finished by next spring…_

_He drew a necklace from his vest pocket. The chain was pure silver. A beautiful blue gemstone hung from the middle of the chain, glittering in the candlelight. The gemstone was framed by tiny flowers and leaves, encircling it entirely, but leaving the pendant to be a bell shape. "This was my wife's…" Giuseppe was holding it in his hand so that I could better examine it. "When Victoria and I visited Berlin in 1843, she saw this in a jeweler's and had to have it." He smiled at the memory. He glanced at me again, sensing correctly that I was about to protest, he said, "I know that Victoria would want you to have it. It was meant to be worn, not to be kept in a box."_

_I took a deep breath, nodding once, "Thank you, Giuseppe." I managed to smile. He smiled fully, just as full as he had when Damon and I had stood at the alter and said 'I do.' I lifted my hair so that Giuseppe could secure the clasp around my neck. _

_Giuseppe smiled, kissed me on the forehead, and said, "Go to your husband."_

_Moments later, Clara led the way to my new room. Our new room. She couldn't help but smile when she opened the door. I bit my lip to keep from returning the smile. "Thank you, Clara," I said softly before following my husband into our room._

_Damon waited for me beside the bureau. He took my hand and kissed it before kissing me softly on the mouth. "I love you." He said, drawing me impossibly closer._

_I smiled; it seemed that I was unable to keep from smiling tonight. "For how long?" I teased._

_My husband looked into my eyes with an unyielding intensity, "Forever."_

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><p>I shot up from beneath the bathwater, gasping for air. I wiped the water from my face, brushing my hair back. I looked to the sink for reassurance; sure enough, the necklace that Giuseppe had given me as a wedding gift, the same one that had been spelled by a witch to protect me from the sun, was resting on the marble. I quickly toweled myself off, put on a tank-top and shorts, and secured the necklace around my neck. I had rarely taken it off in the past century and a half, and I wasn't going to change that now.<p>

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><p><strong>AN: There is a link to a photo of Beth's necklace on my profile page.**

**R&R please.**


	9. Frienemy

**Sorry for the wait, lovely readers. Scholarships are time consuming in the extreme.**

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><p>Previously on <em>The Vampire Diaries<em>:

_I shot up from beneath the bathwater, gasping for air. I wiped the water from my face, brushing my hair back. I looked to the sink for reassurance; sure enough, the necklace that Giuseppe had given me as a wedding gift, the same one that had been spelled by a witch to protect me from the sun, was resting on the marble. I quickly toweled myself off, put on a tank-top and shorts, and secured the necklace around my neck. I had rarely taken it off in the past century and a half, and I wasn't going to change that now._

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><p>I was completely relaxed. I had no worries. My mind and body were at ease as I lay down on the soft grass covered hillside. I could hear the soft chirping of the birds above and the soft rustle of grass as I folded my hands beneath my head. I sighed, opening my eyes and stared at the sky. The clouds were mesmerizing. Almost absently, I touched my neck for reassurance that my necklace was in place; I felt nothing. I gasped, jerking upright and looking down. Sure enough, my necklace was nowhere to be seen. But I wasn't burning…Why wasn't I burning?<p>

The grass rustled again, just to my left. I looked over, curiosity shocking me out of my confusion. A tiny blue jay was hopping around in the grass. Apparently, curiosity had gotten the best of it as well; it hopped closer and closer with a soft 'chirp' every now and then. I stretched out my hand but the bird didn't stop. It hopped right up into my palm; I smiled, softly stroking it with two fingers.

Then, with its black beady eyes, it looked straight at me, opened its beak wide before tilting back its head and letting out a horrible…ringing sound? The bird was ri—

I sat straight up in bed, my hand automatically feeling for my necklace (it was there, thank God) before I nearly smashed my cell phone to stop its incessant ringing. "What?" I barked; I may be a vampire, but that doesn't mean that I like to be woken up at two o'clock in the morning.

"Hey, B." Silas. So not what I needed right now.

"Silas," I growled, "please enlighten me as to why you've decided to call me at this ungodly hour."

He laughed nervously, "Right. Um…" He spoke in almost a whisper; a very excited whisper. "I got it."

I waited. Nothing. "Silas, I'm not Edward Cullen; you're going to have to tell me what 'it' is."

He whispered again, "Mathias' amulet! You know, the one that we were looking for before you bailed on me…" Mathias Orwell, a witch, had hired me two weeks ago to find his amulet, offering me a fifty thousand dollar bonus if I agreed to work with his idiot brother, Silas.

"Before I bailed on—" There was no point in my continuing; Silas had a one-track mind, so it would be best for me to keep him on the subject of the amulet; the case that we'd been working on before he stole my car and left me for dead. To be honest, I was a bit surprised that he'd managed to find it in between the twelve beers a day that he seemed to drink and the most recent case of Grand Theft Auto. "Where are you?"

"Mystic Falls."

"Here? You're here? Why are you here?" I hissed as I tried to get dressed one-handed.

"Thought I'd return your car. I know, I know…I shouldn't have ever taken it in the first place, but seriously B, you have a sweet ride." He whistled low in appreciation before continuing, "How are you by the way? You didn't look so good when I left."

I was going to kill him. I was going to wrap my hands around his throat and squeeze it until his head popped off. "I'm fine." I said through gritted teeth. "No thanks to you…" I added under my breath.

"Where are you staying?" He asked.

"The Mystic B&B."

"I'm pulling up now." He said cheerfully before hanging up on me.

I was barely able to keep from throwing my phone out the window before pulling on my shoe and practically running down the stairs. I threw the door open and was greeted by Silas, who had a manic smile on his face and his arms wide out as if he was waiting for a hug. I threw my arms out as well and as he went to meet me, I smiled. My arm shot out like lightening, my fingers wrapping around his throat as I propelled him back so that he was pressed up against my car. "Hello, Silas."

"Hey, B." He croaked, still smiling, "You gonna let me go?"

I chuckled humorlessly, "I'll think about it…" I ran my free hand over the roof of my car; a black 1975 Charger. Silas was finally starting to panic, clawing at my hand, swatting at my arm. "Oh stop." I rolled my eyes, "After that little stunt you pulled, you're lucky I'm not scooping your eyes out with a spoon." I spat, letting my aspect wash over me; my senses heightened as blood flooded my eyes. "Where are my keys?" I asked impatiently.

"P-Pocket." He rasped, slowly reaching down into his left jean pocket and revealing my keys with a shaking hand.

I stepped closer to Silas, my face less than an inch from his as I said my next words, "Can you hear your heart beating?" I licked my lips, "I can. Makes the blood all hot and spicy…" Silas whimpered.

Silas' heartbeat was making his blood very tempting; I hadn't fed in almost three days… I inhaled; his blood smelled of cinnamon and burnt sugar… I couldn't resist. I bared my fangs, holding Silas back with one hand and his head to the side with the other before I sank my fangs deep into his neck. I drank deeply, savoring the taste of fear in his blood. He screamed, or tried to after I covered his mouth with my hand. Just as I felt his strength ebbing, I pulled back. Pure fear was the only emotion that decorated his face. That made me feel a little better, or maybe it was the blood. I took my index finger, scoring it on one of my fangs before smearing the blood all over his wound. I released him, licking the blood off of my finger before growling for good measure. Silas whimpered again. "You tell your brother that if he ever so much as breathes my name again, I'll make him watch while I put his intestines on a stick, savvy?" Silas clenched his eyes shut, trying to shrink away from me. I shoved him away, "Now go before I change my mind." Silas ran away without another look back.

I sighed, closing my eyes while I tried to get a handle on my rage. I was still on edge from my fight with Katherine. Hell, I was royally screwed up… In the past week, I'd nearly died twice and I found out that my dead husband and his brother were still alive.

Out of nowhere, I found myself thinking of the dead girl in the hospital. What had Katherine told her that I hadn't heard? Why had Katherine smothered her? Why didn't she just rip the girl's throat out? That was very odd… "Oh my God." I said aloud, realizing why Katherine had smothered her. She'd turned the girl.

I threw the door of the Charger open, nearly ripping it right off of the hinges and raced off for the hospital. I'd barely taken the keys out of the ignition before I ran through the hospital doors at vampire speed. Blurring past the few night nurses, I headed straight for the girl's room.

Her blond curls lay soft against the pillow as her chest rose steadily up and down. She was alive, not dead which meant that the girl was already in transition. Katherine turned her and left her. Like me, the girl would have no instruction, no idea what has happening to her… I couldn't help but sympathize with her; she was alone like me. There would be no one to teach her…

I sat down quietly in the hideous green mesh chair at her bedside, careful not to wake her. I glanced down at her admission bracelet; it read 'Caroline Forbes.' I softly stroked her hair, "Don't worry, Caroline. I'm going to help you…"

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><p><strong>Once again, I'm terribly sorry for the wait. R&amp;R please.<strong>


	10. Transition

**Sorry for the wait. College applications have been eating my soul…**

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><p>Previously on <em>The Vampire Diaries:<em>

Her blond curls lay soft against the pillow as her chest rose steadily up and down. She was alive, not dead which meant that the girl was already in transition. Katherine turned her and left her. Like me, the girl would have no instruction, no idea what has happening to her… I couldn't help but sympathize with her; she was alone like me. There would be no one to teach her…

I sat down quietly in the hideous green mesh chair at her bedside, careful not to wake her. I glanced down at her admission bracelet; it read 'Caroline Forbes.' I softly stroked her hair, "Don't worry, Caroline. I'm going to help you…"

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><p><em>Now...<em>

Change. I noticed the tiny shift in the air even as I was half asleep with my head tilted back. It would have gone unnoticeable, at first, to any human being, but of course, I'm not human. The soft rasp of air as Caroline took her first breath. The air scratched against the dry caverns of her throat and slowly made its way down to her lungs, barely filling them before her body automatically gasped, searching for more.

I cleared my throat, sitting up to watch (both the door to make sure that no one came in and Caroline as she awoke). Her body moved of its own accord, her eyes were not yet open; her chest dragged the rest of her body with it as it lurched off of the bed. All at once, her body became motionless and Caroline flopped like a rag-doll back onto the bed.

After a moment, her fingers began to twitch. Caroline gasped for breath again, her lungs inflating fully before her eyes began to flutter open. The girl tried to gauge her surroundings…and then her eyes locked on me. They widened in fear and confusion.

I stayed seated; standing would only make me seem like more of a threat. I smiled softly, keeping my teeth behind my lips, "Hello, Caroline."

"What— Who're you?" She scooted as far away from me as the bed rail would allow.

"My name is Beth." I paused; this was going to be difficult, "Do you remember what happened to you?"

Caroline was beginning to relax, "Yeah." She answered automatically, "I was in a car accident… Oh my god! Is Matt okay? And Tyler?"

"I wasn't talking about the car accident, Caroline." I glanced down at her admission bracelet, "You were admitted three days ago." I gave that a chance to sink in. Confusion marred the girl's face as I continued to speak, "Something happened after the car accident. A woman was here last night—" Before I could finish, she interrupted me.

"Can I get something to eat?" She smiled sweetly, "I'm starving." She reminded me of a Barbie doll; all pretty and sweet.

How the hell was I supposed to answer that? "Um—"

"Are you one of those trauma councilors? Because, I think I'm fine."

"Stop talking." I hissed; Caroline was going from zero to sixty in what was basically a millisecond. Explaining here would only do more damage than it was worth; it would be better for me to just take her with me. I got to my feet in a blur, carefully taking the needles from Caroline's veins and the tape off of her wrist.

If I were human, I would have missed the tiny flash of her eyes toward the bag of blood that was being transfused into her system. "I'm just really…hungry…Hey! What're you—" Caroline was left speechless by the sight of me ripping the rail off of the side of her bed.

"Come on." I grabbed her hand.

"No."

Great. She was going to be a handful. I flashed my fangs at her, "Walk, or I will cheerfully drag you kicking and screaming to my car and stuff you in my trunk." I smiled, letting my fangs recede.

Her mouth was open in a little 'o' of fear and surprise.

I tugged on her hand, "Don't think I won't..." She gulped and practically scrambled off of the bed to follow me. Thankfully we only encountered one nurse, who I compelled, before we made it out of the hospital. I'd never been so thankful to be awake at such an ungodly hour.

I was tempted to compel Caroline, what with all of the fidgeting she was doing in the passenger seat. "The trunk is still an option." She immediately became as still as a statue.

Caroline was silent until the lock clicked shut in my room at the bed and breakfast. "What do you want?"

"I already told you; I want to help you." I tossed her a robe to put on, "No one should have to go through this alone."

"This? What is 'this?'" Wow. Her voice was really loud.

"Transition." I answered, flipping on one of the lamps on the desk before going to the cooler to retrieve one of the blood bags I'd brought along.

Caroline snorted as she slipped on the robe, "Transition? Into what? A ninja turtle?"

"No." I tossed the blood bag to her. Caroline's eyes widened as she realized what I'd thrown at her, "A vampire."

Caroline's hands shook. I could see the desire brimming in her eyes before the denial overcame everything else and she threw the blood bag back to me, "You're crazy." She began to head for the door.

I blurred to block her way, "Probably. Sooner or later, you're going to have to make a choice; live as a vampire or die as a human."

Caroline drew a ragged breath, not unlike her first breath at the hospital, and tried to go for the door again. I rolled my eyes and hauled her (maybe a little to enthusiastically) into the armchair. "As much as I wish it were, this isn't a joke. And this isn't a game…"

Caroline's eyes lit up as if she were remembering something she hadn't known in the first place. "That's what Elena said in the hospital." Caroline shook her head as if to clear it, "Er, no, that's what Katherine said; game on."

I nodded, "I know." I put the bag of blood onto the end table as I knelt down in front of her, "I'm sorry that this happened to you." Her eyes flitted to the blood bag and then back to me, "You had no part in this; that bitch should never have involved you…" Her gaze was locked on the blood bag. "You need to eat." I patted her knee, getting to my feet. As I walked out of the room, I called, "Don't even think about sneaking out; you know I'll catch you…"

I probably shouldn't have left the girl alone, but I needed to think. Now that I'd adopted a (potential) baby vampire, I needed a way to keep her out of Katherine's reach. She'd brought the girl into it without provocation; a stupid move on Katherine's part. I would gladly skin her alive for this… I began drawing the curtains of each of the rooms as I sipped on a bag of blood. If Caroline decided to become a vampire, sun would definitely not be her friend… I should have grabbed a few more bags while I was at the hospital, but my focus had been on Caroline.

I wondered how Damon and Stefan would view Caroline. Apparently she knew Elena, so that should put her in some kind of good standing with the brothers… I would protect the girl, keep her safe.

I'd never actually turned anyone before; I'd never seen a point in the whole thing. I was happier being miserable by myself. The need to have a companion just wasn't there, not after I'd left Mystic Falls…after I'd left Damon.

I still had no idea what I was going to do about him. Yes, I loved him. Was there even the sliver of a chance that 'we' could work? That was another question that I didn't have the answer to. Maybe I shouldn't have ever run away from Mystic Falls in the first place…Katherine still would have had Emily wipe their memories, but maybe I could have made them remember…

"Beth?" Caroline called from the front room as I closed the last of the curtains and blocked my regrets from my mind. "Do you have any ibuprofen?"

I'd expected her to put up more of a fight…Maybe my threat at the hospital had been a bit much. Oh well. It worked. "It won't help." I said sadly as I came back into the front room. I leaned against the doorway, watching Caroline watch the blood as it sloshed around in the thin plastic casing.

"It's just so gross." She said after a moment.

I snorted, "Blood is blood, Caroline."

She put her mouth to the corner, making ready to tear it with her teeth. She hesitated, looking up at me, "Will I sparkle?" She started to smile a bit.

Damn that best-selling book series. I glared, warning her, "Don't even go there, Barbie."

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><p><strong>R&amp;R please. Feedback is love.<strong>


	11. Into the Sun

**Dear Readers: You all have no idea how completely sorry I am for the wait. I never dreamed that it would take me four months to get this next chapter written/revised/posted. Real Life decided to use the chicken brake on the Driver's Ed car (they still have those, right?). All in all, I'm back…**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

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><p>Finally. I'd finally gotten the blond fledgling to sleep after a very long, detailed conversation about how she would most certainly burn, not sparkle, in the sun. The bagged blood I'd given her would make the transition less painful, rather than giving her harsh human food while her senses were trying to perceive every little detail and crumb. I prayed to whatever god was listening that Caroline wouldn't wake until I returned with a freshly compelled volunteer so that she could complete the transition. I'd secured her wrists to the bed frame before I'd slipped quietly out of the door and down the stairs, nodding as I passed an exhausted looking Mrs. Davies.<p>

As I walked down the nearly deserted street, waiting for some low-life to compel and bring back to Caroline, I felt that I was being followed. It was subtle at first; whoever it was, was being very careful.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end and I had to struggle to keep my aspect from taking over my human mask. I listened closely, waiting for the telltale sign of a human heartbeat. It never came. My stalker was a vampire. I inhaled deeply; my pursuer smelled of bourbon and expensive leather…I smirked a bit, coming to a stop just in front of an old theatre. Over-protective sap. "And here I thought we'd gotten past this bit…"

"Old habits die hard." Damon said, emerging form the shadows at the exact same moment that I spun around to face him.

I sighed, looking him up and down. Damon looked strangely…vulnerable. Vulnerable didn't mean agreeable in my former husband's case, but I would take my chances. "Walk with me?" I asked, nodding in my direction.

He smiled slightly and nodded, falling into step with me.

There was an uncomfortable silence as the two of us struggled to put our thoughts into words.

It was then that I realized that it would be impossible to put words to what we were going through. We'd both suffered a loss. Damon the loss of his wife; me the loss of my husband. Now that we'd regained what we'd lost, everything was different…Hesitant. Even if we did decide to be together again, things could never be as they were; too much time had passed, we weren't the same people as we were in 1861…

"So…" Damon began awkwardly.

I chuckled a bit; neither of us knew what to say…it reminded me of the first time I'd met Damon.

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><p>Mystic Falls, 1860<p>

"_Elizabeth!" Samuel hissed, motioning for me to exit the carriage. I gave him one of the glares that I'd picked up from Mother. Peeking his head inside, my brother growled, "If you are not standing by my side waiting with a **pleasant smile and a curtsy** to meet the Mayor and his family in the next minute, I will drag you out of this damned carriage, kicking and screaming."_

_I gagged, rolling my eyes; dear Samuel was always so worried about impressing new acquaintances… Something Father had drilled into him before he died. With a mournful sigh, I took my brother's hand, stepping out from the musty confines of the carriage and into the harsh sunlight. The hem of my burgundy and crème dress brushed the dirt as I stepped off of the footstool, stirring up a tiny cloud; a small distraction from the imminent meeting I was being forced to attend._

_I looked up to see an elder man, about my father's own age if he'd been alive, walking steadily toward us with a welcoming smile on his face. I assumed that this man was Mayor Lockwood, the man that Samuel had been fretting about since we'd left Boston two days ago._

"_Mayor Lockwood, I presume?" My brother asked, holding out his hand for the man to shake._

_With a smile, the man answered, "Yes! You must be Mr. Gregory."_

"_Samuel, please." Samuel said quickly, "Mr. Gregory was my father."_

"_My apologies." The mayor focused his attentions on me, "Ms. Gregory," I curtsied in response to my name, "How are you finding Mystic Falls?"_

_My mind wandered back to my brother's lecture that he'd reamed into me a few hours earlier, _'Think before you speak, sister. Men don't like a woman with a mouth on her.'_ "Very lovely, from what I've seen." I said with a smile._

_Well, at least it wasn't a complete lie…it was lovely from what I'd seen. And I'd seen none of it._

"_Well then, why don't we get you in out of the sun?" The Mayor offered me his arm politely; I smiled like a good little lady and took it. Yes, please lets; I've been stuck in a stuffy carriage for all of two days and the moment I get a breath of fresh air, you want to shuffle me back inside where I'm going to be scrutinized and observed by _everyone.

_After an hour of pointless niceties, things finally got interesting._

"_I'm going to get some air, Brother." I said, not able to take another mention of how beautiful the Mayor's home was. Translation: If I'm stuck in here for one more minute, I'm going to go mad._

"_Do stay on the porch, Ms. Gregory." The Mayor mentioned, almost as a side note as the two men stood to see me off._

_Mary, Mayor Lockwood's maid, opened the door with a smile, curtsying slightly as I passed. I took a turn around the porch before stopping to lounge on the steps. I cold see something in the distance; a small thing on four legs was bounding toward me, not unlike a deer while two clearly human figures were chasing after it… Before I knew it, I was knocked off of my feet by a flying mass of black and tan fur. Long, fuzzy ears flopped up and down energetically as the tongue of a coonhound ravaged my face; dog breath was so much better than dull conversation._

"_No! Maxwell! Get off of her! Down!" One man said, struggling to pull the dog off._

_The other began to apologize as he helped me to my feet, "I'm so sorry Miss—I don't know what got into him!" He looked me up and down, making sure that there was no injury, "Are you alright?"_

_For the first time, I looked up into his eyes. They were beautiful; a deep, icy blue that complimented his angular face and dark hair perfectly. My cheeks reddened slightly in embarrassment; here I was, alone outside with two men that I didn't know, covered in dog slobber and dirt, my new dress ruined. Any lesser woman would have broken down into tears by now…I did the exact opposite, breaking out into peals of laughter._

_Neither of the men seemed to be sure of what to do. "I think she may be in shock…" The first man whispered to the second. That made me laugh even harder._

"_No—No—I'm fine…" I attempted to catch my breath, "I just—" Making a vain attempt to brush my hands off onto my already dirty dress, I offered my hand to the second man, as the first was clearly occupied with trying to contain the hound, "Elizabeth Gregory, lovely to meet you."_

_The blue-eyed man laughed as well, clasping his dirty hand with mine, "Damon Salvatore."_

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><p>Now:<p>

"How was your day?" He finally managed with a snort; the question seemed so trivial…

"I've had better—Oh!" May as well mention the reason that I was out here in the first place, "I adopted a baby vampire! Well…Not a vampire yet, but she will be soon."

"Uh huh." Damon said, raising his eyebrows, "Who—"

I smiled gleefully, "The sheriff's daughter, Caroline. I'm trying to find someone suitable for her to—" Damon looked uncomfortable, which was rare to say the least. "What?" I asked, unable to stand not knowing.

"Nothing." He said too quickly.

"Lemme guess…" Then came the thought I'd been thinking since I met him: Damon, you are far too pretty for your own good. "You were, erm, _involved_."

He managed to look sheepish, "Hey! Guy's gotta eat."

I snorted, "I'm not touching that line with a ten foot pole." I clapped him lightly on the shoulder, growing more at ease with each step. It was almost like we were old friends, having a nice, civil conversation. For the first time after I'd discovered that my husband was alive, I truly believed that we had a chance to start over…to have something new…

"That's not what I—" He groaned, rolling his eyes, "Can we just abandon this subject, please? I mean, you're my ex and she was my—" He searched for the word, "—food…" With a half-hearted glare at me, Damon continued, "Plus, you're enjoying this way to much."

I laughed, pausing only to focus in on the scuffling sound coming from the nearby alley. Taking a few steps closer, Damon put himself between me and whatever was in the alley, both of us tensed for a fight. Out of a pile of trash bags came an extremely dirty young man; I placed him a twenty at the most. His clothes and stocking cap both looked like they'd paid a visit to Moth World lately and came back missing more fabric than they'd had in the first place. A fresh syringe tumbled from his gaping pocket, clattering to the cement at his feet. He scrambled to pick it up but Damon beat him to it, crushing it beneath his foot. "Will he do?" Damon asked, taking the ruffian by the scruff of his neck so that I could see him.

Inhaling deeply, I could smell that this young man's system was mostly clean of whatever drug had been in the syringe. I shrugged, "Good enough."

Damon set the boy down, taking him by the throat, and looked deep into his eyes, "You will do whatever we say, understand." Lips tightly shut, the boy nodded, no longer struggling. "Peachy. Come on."

Back at the bed and breakfast, Damon, the boy who's name I now knew to be Brad, and I stood outside of the door. "Thanks for the help…although I didn't really need it…" I don't need a lot of things; like how I didn't need to add on the last part of that sentence…

I could tell that my words stung Damon a bit, so I didn't flinch as I wanted to when he silently stroked my face before disappearing into the night. Looking to Brad, I guided him inside and up the stairs to my room where Caroline was waiting.

I instructed Brad to stay on the couch while I went to fetch Caroline. Surprisingly, there were no protests from the dead girl; I'd expected at least a little bit of screaming when she found that she was tied to the bed. That was when it hit me; there was no noise coming from the back room at all.

I threw the door open to find an empty bed and an open window to greet me. "Dammit!" I cursed; I hadn't expected her to react this way…and then I noticed Mrs. Davies on the other side of the bed, motionless on the floor. "Oh crap…"

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><p><strong>I know I don't deserve them, but readers and reviews would be great.<strong>


	12. Aftermath

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Hello readers, it's been a while… Between university and my job, ****Bittersweet**** was temporarily pushed aside. Sincerest apologies, KatCrawfield.**

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><p>Within a time period of a few hours, my night had turned to shit.<p>

I'd just said exactly what I shouldn't have to my former husband. I had a missing baby vampire to deal with. There was a junkie lounging on my couch. Oh, and to top it all off, Mrs. Davies, who was possibly dead, was lying at my feet. Perfect.

I let out a cry of frustration, trying to sort my priorities as my eyes danced from Mrs. Davies to the window. I pursed my lips; either way that the metaphorical coin was flipped, someone was going to die…

I knelt beside Mrs. Davies; this was the problem that I was sure I could handle. "Mrs. Davies?" I asked as I gently turned her body so that her back was on the floor. The unmistakable aroma of a sweet, salty, coppery liquid assaulted my nostrils as her head lulled to the side. Blood. "Christ—" I pressed my hand to her neck, feeling a thready-but-present pulse. Thank god. I pressed my hand to her neck to staunch the flow of blood from the tears that Caroline's teeth had made. "Brad!" I yelled, hoping that the boy wasn't too stoned to make a phone call. There was a gasp and a slight shuffling before Brad made his way to the doorway, bloodshot eyes frozen on the woman on the floor. Looking straight into his eyes, I said, "Brad, I want you to take your hand and put it exactly where mine is. Do you understand?"

"Yes." He said monotonously as he came closer.

I took my phone from my pocket, guiding his right hand to her throat as I shoved the phone into his left. "I want you to call 911. Ask for Sheriff Forbes; tell her that you need an ambulance to the Mystic Bed and Breakfast." I commanded as Brad nodded. Next, I ran around the room in a blur, desperate to rid it of any and all traces of my stay while Brad spoke with the authorities.

When I had finished and had my duffel bag in hand, I glanced back to Brad. I was shoving all of this on the boy, nevermind that I'd intended to feed him to Caroline, the least I could do was help him out… I crossed the room in two strides, taking him by the chin while his hand stayed at Mrs. Davies's throat, "No more drugs or booze." He stared, unblinking, as I continued, "Stay clean and help Mrs. Davies."

"I will." He answered blankly.

"Good boy." I patted him on the face and ran out of the building as fast as I could.

I managed to park my car a few blocks away from the bed and breakfast before the police sirens entered my hearing range. I caught Caroline's scent almost immediately when I entered the back of the bed and breakfast grounds. She smelled of sugar and freesia so it wasn't difficult to distinguish her from the harsh woodsy sent of the forest that the trail was leading me to. Slowly, I trekked through the forest, careful to keep from disturbing any of the animals so that Caroline would not be alerted to my presence. Her scent grew to become almost overpowering as I reached a clearing. The shadows of the branches danced in the moonlight, accompanied by a whimper that was almost childlike.

My eyes zeroed in on her small form; the girl was hugging her legs, forehead pressed to her knees just at the southern edge of the clearing. "Caroline." I said softly, slowly continuing toward her after removing the blood bag from my duffel.

She gasped, scrambling to her feet, pressing her back against a tree, "I killed her. I killed that woman." Her tears glittered in the moonlight as they fell from her eyes and left moist trails on her cheeks.

I shook my head, hand outreached, "No, you didn't. Mrs. Davies is going to be alright." _I hope_.

Caroline's eyes widened, "Really? She's not dead?"

"Really." _Fingers crossed. _I put a hand on her arm, "I need you to come with me, Caroline. I'm going to help you. I promise."

Caroline massaged both sides of her blood-soaked jaw, managing to smile a little, "My mouth hurts really bad."

I chuckled, already leading her to where I'd parked my car, "I know."

"Hello!" I yelled ten minutes later, an arm around Caroline as I hit the door to the Salvatore Boarding House as hard as I could without shattering it. "Damon! Stefa—"

The door swung open before I could finish. Damon, brow furrowed and looking more than a little confused stared at the pair of us through the threshold. "Whose blood is that?" He nodded to Caroline's mouth.

"Mrs. Davies's." Caroline answered quietly.

"The lady that owns the bed and breakfast?" I nodded. Damon sighed and stood aside, "Come in."

"Go on to the bathroom; I'll be there in a minute." I pushed Caroline gently down the hallway before turning back to face Damon. I waited until I could hear the water running before I spoke, "I just need to get her cleaned up before I take her back home." There was a slight squeak from the floorboards above us before Stefan descended the stairs, a silent question on his face. "Katherine turned the Sheriff's daughter."

His lips parted in surprise, looking from Damon to me before asking, "How is she?"

I shrugged, "Alright, I suppose, now that the hysterics are over." I clapped Stefan on the shoulder, saying, "I'm handling it," before I joined Caroline at the sink. She'd already scrubbed most of the blood off of her hands and was now patting at the red areas of her shirt. I went to work on her face and hair with a damp white washcloth that was dark red by the time that I was through.

"I don't think all of it's going to come off of your shirt." I said as I tossed the washcloth into the trash.

Caroline stared at herself in the mirror before she giggled, "Now I have an excuse to go shopping." I shook my head in amazement; despite everything, she was doing relatively well. I took the girl into the library and sat her down in front of the fire with a glass of bourbon before rejoining the Salvatore brothers in the entryway.

"I don't suppose you could get me a meeting with your witch? I don't think Blondie will last long without a bit of lapis lazuli." I looked to St. Stefan expectantly.

"My witch?" Stefan snorted, "Bonnie doesn't exactly do well with the whole vampire thing—let me talk to her. Caroline is her friend. Hopefully she can see past the vampire part."

"Fine." Stefan stepped outside, cell phone in hand. I turned to Damon, "When she's finished, I'll take her home. Her mother shouldn't be home for a bit, considering the whole situation at the B&B—"

"What about you?" Damon asked, cutting me off.

_Was that worry in his voice?_ I shrugged it off, "I'll find somewhere."

"You could stay here." He said softly. The space between us suddenly seemed so small… My nerves were practically jumping on end. "I mean, it is a boarding house…"

There went that friendly feeling from earlier tonight. It jumped right out the window and was replaced by something more primal. I shoved that feeling onto the back burner, "I –don't think that that would be a good idea."

"Why not?" Damon asked, obviously taken aback.

"I'm finished!" I nearly jumped a foot in the air before spinning around, fangs out, ready to confront the threat. I let out a shaky breath, calming myself and releasing the throat that I'd seized as a knee jerk reaction. The only thing that Vampire Barbie was a threat to now was my reputation.

"Jesus, Caroline!" I exclaimed as Damon snickered. "Do. Not. Do. That. Again." I hissed, trying to relax my clawed hands as Stefan returned.

"Bonnie's agreed to meet tomorrow at Caroline's house." He announced.

"Oh my God, Bonnie! What if she— Does she hate me?" Caroline sputtered, eyes tearing up.

"No, no, no. Of course not. But it might take some time for her to get used to the, um, new you." Stefan covered with a careful smile. Caroline sniffed, smiling sadly.

"Alright, I'm going to get her home." I said in parting.

The ride to Caroline's house was quiet. She didn't make a noise, save the occasional sigh until we reached the front porch. I smiled, patting her on the shoulder, "Good night, Caroline. I'll check up on you tomorrow. These should hold you over until I can make another run." I handed her the four remaining blood bags from my duffel before heading back to my car.

I had the door to the Charger half way open when I heard it. "Thank you." I turned around to find Caroline smiling. "Since the bed and breakfast is crawling with cops, do you want to stay here? I mean, I could stow you in the basement and my mom would never know…"

I smiled, remembering an earlier offer, "Actually, I think I've already found a place…"

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><p><strong>R&amp;R please.<strong>


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